Drink-driving deaths at new low

The number of people killed or injured on Britain's roads as a result of drink-driving fell to an all-time low last year, according to new Government statistics.

The number of drink-related road accidents and deaths have fallen steadily since the 1970s and provisional figures showed the number of people killed dropped below 400 for the first time last year, to 380.

The figure means deaths due to drink-driving are now less than a quarter of the 1,640 recorded in 1979.

The total number of people killed or injured as a result of drink-driving dropped to 11,990 last year, a fall of 7.7% on the 12,990 recorded in 2008.

Department of Transport figures revealed in June that 2,222 people were killed on Britain's roads in 2009, an all-time low after a 12% fall from 2008.

The statistics reveal more about the contributory factors to accidents, including the number which involve a driver found over the alcohol limit. The number of accidents involving drink-driving fell to 8,050 last year, a drop of 6.6% from the 8,620 in 2008.

Deaths due to drink-driving dropped 5% from 400 to 380, the number of people suffering serious injuries fell from 1,620 to 1,480 (down 8.6%) and those suffering slight injuries reduced by 7.6% from 10,960 to 10,130.

RAC motoring strategist Adrian Tink said the steady fall in the number of people killed or seriously injured by drink-driving was "encouraging", but added: "This is no time to be complacent - drink-driving ruins lives and more can still be done."

In June, a Whitehall-commissioned report by leading academic and legal expert Sir Peter North urged the Government to lower the legal drink-drive limit from the current 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to just 50mg, saying the move would save hundreds of lives a year.

Mr Tink said the move was "long overdue" and was supported by 87% of drivers polled by the RAC, but would need to be backed up by enforcement such as random breath testing and awareness campaigns.